14 DAY TRIAL // This past weekend, the International Space Station (ISS, for short) welcomed three new crew members. The astronauts will get to spend about six months aboard the space station. Thus, they are scheduled to return to Earth in early May, 2015.
As part of this mission aboard the ISS , astronauts Terry Virts, Samantha Cristoforetti and Anton Shkaplerov will carry out a series of experiments, go for walks in space and snap a heck lot of photos of Earth as seen from high up in the skies.
Like other space explorers before him, NASA astronaut Terry Virts promises to share these photos with regular folks via Twitter and other social media sites. Those wishing to keep up to date with his posts need only follow @AstroTerry.
A successful launch
In a statement, NASA details that the three astronauts left Earth at precisely 4:01 p.m. EST (21:01 GMT) on Sunday, November 23. They embarked on their journey to the ISS aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.
The Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Terry Virts, ESA space explorer Samantha Cristoforetti and Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a space launch facility now operational in Kazakhstan.
It is understood that the three daredevils took about six hours to reach their destination. More precisely, NASA says that the Soyuz TMA-15M vehicle carrying them docked to the ISS at 9:48 p.m. EST. As that time, the space station was above the Pacific Ocean, en route to the coast of Ecuador.
Interestingly enough, the astronauts did not travel to the ISS alone. They were accompanied by a plush doll of beloved animated character and “Frozen” star Olaf the snowman. The plus doll belongs to astronaut Anton Shkaplerov's daughter, and served as the crew's zero-g indicator.
It's rather crowded aboard the ISS
Apart from Terry Virts, Samantha Cristoforetti and Anton Shkaplerov, the ISS is now home to Expedition 42 crew members Barry Wilmore of NASA and Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos, who arrived at the station back in September.
These three other astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth in March 2015. When this happens, NASA astronaut Terry Virts will assume command of the ISS and Expedition 43 will officially debut. Meanwhile, NASA space explorer Barry Wilmore will remain in charge.
Although no other astronauts will be traveling to the ISS anytime soon, the satellite will nonetheless receive several visits over the months to come. Thus, it will welcome spacecraft carrying supplies for the crew members and all sorts of high-tech equipment.
A space mission to remember
While aboard the ISS, NASA astronaut Terry Virts, ESA space explorer Samantha Cristoforetti and Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov will study aerosols in our planet's atmosphere and levitating cooling liquid metals, and even look into the genetic makeup of roundworms.
It is understood that the astronauts will be entrusted with growing as many as four generations of roundworms aboard the ISS. The goal is to determine whether the effects of micro-gravity on an organism can be transmitted from one generation to another without altering basic DNA.
“The crew will perform experiments that cover human research, biological and physical sciences, technology development and Earth observations, as well as engage in educational activities,” NASA explains.
Should things go as planned, the Expedition 42 crew members aboard the ISS will get to complete as many as three spacewalks until the time comes for Barry Wilmore of NASA and Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos to return to Earth, and Expedition 43 should begin.
